Side rail for hospital beds



June 23, 19,59 A. s. RElcHERT SIDE RAIL FOR HOSPITAL BEDS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. v1v. 195.8

FIG. 2

INVENTOR.

Y ALLAN S. REICHERT ATT Y June 23, 1959 A. s. RElcHERT SIDE RAIL FOR HOSPITAL BEDS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 17. 1958 FIG. 3

June 23, 1959 A. s. RElcHl-:RT l ,2,891,258

SIDE RAIL FOR HOSPITAL BEDS Filed Jan. 17, 195s v 4 sheets-sheet s FIG. 7

- INVENTOR. ALLAN s., REICHERT BWW;

ATT Y.

A. S. REICHERT SIDE RAIL FOR HOSPITAL BEDS June 23, 1959 Filed Jan.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. IO

FIG.

INVENTOR. ALLAN S. REICHERT ATT Y.

` l 2,891,258 Patented .lune 23, 1959 SIDE RAIL FOR HOSPITAL BEDS Allan S. Reichert, Kirkwood, Mo., assignor to Shampaine Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application January 17, 1958, Serial No. 709,558

14 Claims. (Cl 5-331) This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in side rails for hospital beds.

In order to prevent unconscious patients or invalids from falling out of hospital beds, it is a common practice to mount side rails on such beds. Ordinarily, these side rails are mounted on the bed frame by means of special ttings, and so far as heretofore existing structures are concerned, this has become a very laborious and timeconsuming practice.

Many hospital beds are of more or less standard construction and usually consist of a head board and foot board, each of which are cross connected by means of channel members and a frame for supporting the mattress. This type of bed may also be equipped with telescoping members within the legs so that the bed may be elevated to various levels. Such bed is often referred to as a high-low bed. Another type of high-low bed is one in which the chassis ordinarily includes four upright columns provided with leg assemblies telescopical- 1y fitted therein, and in which a variety of styles of head and foot boards may be bolted or otherwise secured to the columns of the standard chassis. Since each type of bed is commonly used in hospitals, it is desirable that side rails be available which are readily attachable to any of them. Moreover, the side rail itself must be such that it can be readily manipulated upwardly and downwardly and can be positively locked in the upward position.

. It is, therefore, one of the objects of the present invention to provide a side rail for hospital beds which can be readily attached to a standard bed or to a standard chassis high-low type of bed.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a side rail for hospital beds which can be easily manipulated upwardly and downwardly and can be positively locked in upwardly shifted position.

' It is a further object of the present invention to provide a side rail, of the type stated, which is self-adjusting for variations in length of the standard bed and of the standard chassis high-low bed.

"With the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described andn pointed out in the claims.` ffIn the accompanying drawings:

Fig l is a perspective View of a standard hospital bed having mounted thereon a side rail constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention;

\ Fig. 2 is a front elevational View partly broken away and in section of the bed and side rail assembly of Fig. 1; ,Figs.. 3 and 4` are fragmentary sectional views taken along lines 3 3 and 4-4 of Fig. 2;

' Fig. is a perspective view showing a modified form of side rail assembly mounted on `a standard chassis thigh-low type of bed; t

f1-iig;I 6 is a front elevational view partly broken away and in section of the bed and side rail assembly of Fig. 5;

i broken away and in section and showing still another modified form of side rail.

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawings, which illustrate practical embodiments of the present invention, A designates a standard hospital bed comprising a head board 1 and a foot board 2, including Hoor-contacting legs 3, 3', which may be of Xed length or may include telescoping sections in order to permit vertical elevation of the bed A. The head board ll and foot board 2 are connected by means of channel members 4, 4', and a rectangular mattress frame j which supports a mattress m. Mounted on the head board 1 and foot board 2 by means of screws 5, 6, are spaced parallel vertical channels 7, 8, having forwardly presented faces 9, 10, provided with vertical slots 11, 12. At their upper ends, the channels 7, 8, are closed oif by means of removable cap members 13, 14, and spaced downwardly from the cap members 13, 14, the faces, `9, lil, are provided with notches 15, 16, which open up into the slots 11, 12. Welded or otherwise secured to the lower ends of channels 7, 8, are horizontal anges 17, 18.

Mounted for vertical shifting movement in the slots 11, .12, is a generally U-shaped tubular side rail member 19 having spaced parallel legs 20, 21, which are cross connected by a bight 22. Integrally formed on the legs 20, 21, in downwardly spaced parallel relation to the bight 22 are opposed aligned tubular arms 23, 24, the latter being rigidly connected to the bight 22 by means of tubular reinforcing members 25, 26. Extending through the arms 23, 24, and substantially coaxially therewith are axially aligned actuating rods 27, 28, which extend diametrally through the legs 20, 21, for slidable movement therein. At their outer ends, the actuating rods 27, 28, are bent at right angles to form laterally extending pin portions 29, 30, which project through the vertical slots 11, 12, and are slidable therealong. The pins 29, 30, also project through the upper ends of elongated links 31, 32, and are upset for pivotal connection therewith. The links 31, 32, are positioned within the channels 7, 8, adjacent i the vertical slots 11, 12, and extend downwardly `for pivotal connection at their lower ends with laterally eX- tending pin portions 33, 34, which also project through the slots 11, 12, the pin portions being integrally formed on studs 35, 36. At its lower end, the leg 20 is provided with a plug 37, which, along with the leg 20, is diametrally bored for slidably receiving the stud 35, the outer end of which is provided with a nut 38. At its lower end, the leg 21 is also provided with a plug 39, which, with the leg 21, is diametrally bored for receiving the stud 36. The plug 39 is axially bored for receiving the locking pin 4t), which, in turn, extends through the stud 36, all as best seen in Fig. 2.

Rigidly mounted on the inner ends of the actuating rods 27, 28, by means of pins 41, 42, are stop washers 43, 44

.. and secured at its opposite ends to the inner ends of the actuating rods 27, 28, and extending therebetween is a tension spring 45. Extending between the stop washers 43, 44, and spaced at its opposite ends therefrom, is a sleeve 46, which encircles the tension spring 45, and tted around the arms 23, 24, and sleeve 46, are spaced actuator sleeves 47, 48, which are rigidly secured to the stop washers 43, 44, by means of set screws 49, 50.

In use, the channels 7, 8, are secured to the head board 1 and foot board 2 by means of the screws 5, 6. ln this connection, it should be noted that the distance between the head board 1 and foot board 2 may vary somewhat among beds made by dillerent manufacturers, but the distance between the channel 7 and side member 19 will properly adjust itself since the actuating rod 27 can be shifted a limited amount to the left, reference being made to Fig. 2. Moreover, since the stud 35 is slidable within the plug 3'7 and leg 20, the amount of adjustment of the channel 7 away from the side rail member 19 will be limited only by the distance between the nut 38 and leg 20 or by theV distance between the stop washers 43 and the end of the arm 23. After the channels 7, 8, have been mounted on the head board 1 and foot board 2, the side rail member 19 is mounted on the channels 7, 8, so that the pin portions 29, 30, 33, 34, project through the slots 11, 12, whereupon the cap members 13, 14, may be bolted into place over the upper ends of the channels 7, 8. The side rail member 19 will then be in lowered position as shown in full lines in Fig. 2, in which position links 31, 32, will rest on the horizontal flanges 17, 18, and the upper edge of the bight 22 will normally lie slightly below the upper surface of the mattress m. When it is desired to elevate the side rail member 19 to its upward position, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, it is merely necessary to grasp the arms 23, 24, and lift the side rail member 19 upwardly until the the pin portions 29, 30, reach the notches 15, 16, at which time the tension spring 45 will move the actuating rods 27, 28, toward each other, thereby pulling the pin' portions 29, 30, into the notches 15, 16, and positively lock the member 19 in its upward position. When it is desired to lower the member 19, the actuating sleeves 47, 48, are grasped and pushed away from each other against the action of the tension spring 45, thereby moving the actuating rods 27, 28, away from each other, which, in turn, moves the pin portions 29, 30, ont of the notches 15, 16, and into the slots 11, 12. The member 19 will, under its own weight, drop, at which time the actuating sleeves 47, 48, may be released.

It is also possible to mount the side rail member 19 on a standard chassis high-low bed B, as shown in Figs. 5 to 9, which comprises vertical columns 51, 52, 53, 54, provided with telescoping leg members 55, 56, 57, 58. The columns 51, 52, 53, 54, are connected by spaced parallel longitudinal channels 59, 60, which are welded or otherwise rigidly connected at their opposite ends to the columns 51, 52, 53, 54. Also suitably mounted on the columns 51, 52, 53, 54, is a head board H and foot board F, and at their upper ends, the columns 51, 52, 53, 54, are each provided with headed pins 56, for purposes presently more fully appearing.

Mounted on the columns 51, 52, and extending therealong are U-shaped vertical channels 61, 62, the bights of which are provided with slots 63, 64, and notches 65, 66, similar to and for the same purpose as the slots 11, 12, and notches 15, 16, previously described. Welded at the upper and lower ends, respectively, of the channels 61, 62, are horizontal iianges 63', 64', 65', 66', and also welded to the channels 61, 62, upwardly from the lower ends thereof are generally L-shaped mounting7 brackets 67, 68, the inside faces of which are provided with rubber gaskets 69, 70, the latter being cemented or bonded in place. The brackets 67, 68, are sized to t around the columns 51, 52, so that the gaskets 69, 70, snugly bear thereagainst, and the brackets 67, 68, are provided with holes 71, 72, which are aligned with holes 73, 74, respectively, on the channel 59. Projecting through the holes 71,A 72, 73, 74, are bolts 75, 76, whereby the brackets 67, 68, are rigidly secured to the channel 59.

Welded or otherwise rigidly-secured to channels 61, 62, downwardly from the upper ends thereof are upper mounting brackets 77, 78, each provided with rubber gaskets 79,. 80, bonded or cemented to the under faces thereof. The brackets 77, 78, are sized for complementary fitting over the tops of the columns 51, S2, and also include depending anges 81, 82', which rest along the inner vertical faces of the columns 51, 52, the anges 81, 82, being provided with vertical slots 83, 84, for slidably receiving the headed pins 56 as the brackets 77, 78 are placed over the columns 51, 52. The brackets 77, 7 8, must be positioned upwardly of the L-shaped brackets 67, 68, a predetermined distance depending upon the height of the columns 51, 52, so that as the brackets 77,v 78, fall into final position on the upper ends of the columns, the holes 71, 72, 73, 74, will be in proper alignment. It will, therefore, be apparent that by removing the two bolts 75, 76, the entire side rail assembly may be lifted upwardly for removal from the bed B.

It is also possible to provide a modified form of U- shaped side rail member 85, as shown in Fig. 10, which comprises spaced parallel legs 86, 87, and opposed tubular arms 88,89, all similar to the legs 20, 21, and tubular I' arms 23, 24, previously described. Extending through the arms 88, 89, are spaced aligned actuating rods 90, 91, the inner ends of which are provided with relatively coarse threads 92, 93, the thread 93 being a left-hand thread and the thread 92 being a right-hand thread.

Also formed on the outer end of the actuating rods 90, 91, are pin portions 90', 91', similar to the pin portions 29, 30, previously described, and, at their inner ends, the rods 90, 91, are provided with eyelets 94, 94'. Connected at its ends to the eyelets 94, 94', is a tension spring 95. Mounted 0n the threads 92, 93, are nuts 96, 96', and iitted around the nuts 96, 96', and extending therebetween is an actuator sleeve 97. The actuator sleeve 97 and nuts 96, 96', are diametrally drilled for receiving pins 98,98', which secure the actuator sleeve 97 to the nuts 96, 96', fory movement therewith. In connection with ,the present invention, it should be noted that the threads 92, 93, are not self-locking so that as the side rail member 85 is shifted to its upper position, the spring 95 will pull the actuating rods 90, 91, toward each other, causing the sleeve 97 and nuts 96, 96', to rotate, which, in turn, pulls the pin por'- tions 90', 91', into locking engagement with the notches 65, 66. In order to lower the side rail member 85, the actuator sleeve 97 is grasped and manually rotated forcing the actuating rods 90, 91, apart which, in turn, moves the pin portions 90', 91', out of the notches 65, 66.

It is also possible to provide another modified form of U-shaped side rail member 99, as shown in Fig. 1l, which comprises opposed tubular arms 100, 101, actuating rods 102, 103, having pin portions 102', 103', and: a spring 104, all similar to the corresponding elements in the side rail member 85, previously described. The actuating rod 103 is provided on its inner end with threads 105 ywhich receive a nut 106 similar to the nut 96, previously described. Rotatably mounted on the inner end of the actuating rod 102 and spaced from the tubular arm 100 is a block 107 which is held against axial movement by -means of snap rings 108, 109, and. rigidly connected to the block 107 and nut 106 by means of pins 110, 111, is an actuator sleeve 112. As the side member is shifted to its upper position, the spring 104 pulls the actuating rods 102, 103, toward eachy other, causing the sleeve 112, the nut 106 aud the block 107 to rotate and lock the pin portions 102', 103', in the notches 65, 66. When it is desired to lowerthe side' rail member 99, the actuator sleeve 112 is rotated, causing the actuating rod 103 to shift away from the actuating rod 102 until the pin portion 103' abuts the edge of theslot 64, at which time continued rotation of the actuator"y sleeve 112 will cause the nut 106 to move toward the tubular arm and carry with it the actuator sleeve 112, the block 107 and the actuating rod 102, thereby urging the pin portion 102' out of the notch 65'.

It should be understood that changes and modicatons in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination. of the several parts of the side railv for hospital beds may bev made and substituted for those herein shown asoman .5 and describedv without departing from thenature" and principle ofmy invention. j i

Having thus described my invention, what I claimand desire to secure by Letters Patent is: j 1. A side rail for hospital beds, said side rail comprising opposed members adapted to be mounted on a hospital bed and each provided with a slot opening outwardly from said bed, said members each also having a notch at its upper end communicating with the slot, a rail member having actuatingelements mounted in said slots for slidable movement therein, means for urging said actuating elements into said notches when the rail member is in elevated position, and means for moving said actuating elements out of said notches and thereby permit lowering of said rail member.

2. A side rail for hospital beds, said side rail comprising opposed members adapted to be mounted on a hospital bed, said members `each having forwardly presented faces provided with vertical slots, said forwardly presented faces each also having a notch at its upper end communicating with the slot, a rail member having a pair of actuating rods mounted in said slots for slidable movement therein, spring means operatively connecting the ends of said actuating rods for urging said rods into said notches when the rail member is in elevated position,` and means for moving said rods out of said notches and `thereby permit lowering of said rail member. j

3. A side rail for hospital beds, said side rail comprising opposed members adapted to be mounted on a hospital bed, said members each having forwardly presented 1faces provided with vertical slots, said forwardly presented faces each also having a notch at its upper end communicating with the slot, a rail member having opposedtubular arms, a pair of spaced aligned actuating rodsshiftably mounted in said arms and also slidably mounted in said slots, spring means operatively connecting said actuating rods for urging said rods into said notches when the rail member is in elevated position, and actuator sleeve means mounted on said arms and operatively connected to said actuating rods for moving said rods out of said notches and thereby permit lowering of said rail member.

4. A side rail lfor `hospital beds, said side rail comprising `opposed members each provided with, a slot, said` members each also having a notch at its upper end communicating with theslot, a U-shaped rail member having substantially parallel legs adapted for disposition adjacent said members, said rail member having spaced opposed tubular arms formed .on said leg members and projecting toward each other, a bolt-like element projecting through each leg adjacent the lower end thereof and also extending into said slots for slidable movement therein, a pair of opposed actuating rods shiftably mounted in `said arms and projecting through said legs, said rods also being slidably mounted in said slots, link means pivotally connected to the actuating rods and bolt-like elements, spring means connecting said actuating rods for urging said rods into said notches when the rail member is in elevated position, and means for moving said rods out of said notches and thereby permit lowering of said rail member.

5. A side rail for hospital beds, said side rail comprising opposed members each provided with a slot, said members each also having a notch at its upper end communicating with the slot, a U-shaped rail member having substantially parallel legs adapted for disposition adjacent said members, said rail member having spaced opposed tubular arms formed on said leg members and projecting toward each other, a bolt-like element projecting through each leg at the lower end thereof and also extending into said slots for slidable movement therein, one of said bolt-like elements being slidable in said leg, a pair of opposed actuating rods shiftably mounted in said arms and projecting through said legs, said rods also being slidably mounted in said slots, link means pivotally 6 connected to the actuating rods and bolt-like elements', spring means connecting said actuating rods for urging said rods into said notches when the rail member` is in elevated position, and means for moving said rods out of said notches and thereby permit lowering of said rail member.

6. A side rail for hospital beds, said side rail comprising opposed members adapted to be mounted on a hospital bed, said members each having forwardly presented faces provided with vertical slots, said forwardly presented faces each also having a notch at its upper end communicating `with the slot, a rail member having a. pair of actuating rods mounted in said slots for slidable movement therein, spring means operatively connecting the ends of said actuating rods for `urging said rods into said notches `when the rail member is in elevated position, and 1an actuator sleeve mounted on ea-ch arm and each operatively connected to one of said actuating rods for moving said rods out of said notches and thereby permit lowering of said rail member.

7. A side rail for hospital beds, said side rail comprising opposed members each provided with a slot', said members each also having a notch at its upper end communicating with the slot, a rail member having a pair of actuating rods mounted in said slots for slidable movement therein, spring means operatively connecting the ends of said actuating rods for urging said rods'into said notches when the nail member is in elevated position, a nut threadedly mounted on each actuating rod, and `an actuator sleeve rotatably mounted on said arms and rigidly connected to each nut for moving said` rods out of said notches and thereby permit lowering of said rail member. i

8u A side rail for hospital beds, said side rail comprising opposed members each provided with a slot, said members each also having a notch at its upper end communicating with the slot, a rail member having' a pair of actuating rods mounted in said slots for slidable movement therein, spring means operatively connecting the ends of said actuating rods for urging said rods into said notches when the rail member is in elevated position, a nut threadedlymounted on one of said actuating rods, a block rotatably mounted on the other actuating rod, and an actuator sleeve rigidly connected to thenut and block for moving said rods out of said notches and thereby permit lowering of said rail member. c c

9. A side rail for hospital beds, said side railcomprising a pair of channel members each having `a web provided with a plurality of bolt-receiving holes by which said web can be facewise secured to a hospital bed, said channel members also each having a forwardly presented face spaced outwardly from said web and being provided with a vertical slot and a notch communicating with said slot at the upper end thereof, la rail member having actuating elements mounted in said slots for slidable movement therein, means for urging said actuating elements into said notches when the rail member is in elevated position, and means for moving said actuating elements out of said notches land thereby permit lowering of said rail member.

10. A side rail for hospital beds, said side rail compsing a pair of U-shaped channel members, each having a web provided with an elongated slot, each channel member also each having a notch at the upper end thereof communicating with the slot, a. lower mounting bracket on each channel member adapted for disposition against a bed frame and lower end of a bed column, an upper bracket mounted on each channel member for disposition over the upper end of a bed column, said upper bracket also having a depending vertical flange for facewise disposition against said bed column, a rail member having actuating elements mounted in said slots for slidable movement therein, means for urging said actuating elements into said notches when the rail member is in elevated position, and means for moving said actuating elements lout of said notches and thereby permit lowering of said rail members. o

11,. For use with a hospital bed having a pair of spaced columns connected at their lowerends by a bed frame member, said columns each having a headed pin projecting laterally from its upper end, said bed frame member having holes spaced from the columns; a side rail comprising a pair of channels, a lower mounting bracket on each channel adapted for engagement with said column, each said lower bracket having a hole therein and adapted to lie facewise against said bed frame such that the hole in the lower bracket is aligned with one of the holes in the bed frame, an upper Ymounting bracket on each channel adapted to t over the upper end of each column and having 1a depending flange provided with a slot for receiving the headed pin, and a rail member ,operatively mounted on said channels for vertically shifting movement therealong.

12. A side rail for hospital beds, said side rail com prising opposed members adapted to be mounted on a hospital bed, said members having forwardly presented vertical faces provided with vertical slots, said forwardly presented faces each also having a notch at its upper end communicating with the slot, a U-shaped rail member having substantially parallel legs adapted for disposition adjacent said members, said rail member having spaced aligned tubular arms formed on said legs upwardly from the lower ends thereof, bolt-like elements projecting through the legs at their lower ends and ialso extending into said `slots for slidable movement therein, one of said bolt-like elements being -slidable in its associated leg, a pair of opposed actuating rods shiftably mounted in said arms and projecting through said legs, said rods also being slidably mounted in said slots, link means pivotally connected to the actuating rods and bolt-like elements, spring means connecting the opposite ends of said actuating rods for urging said rods into said notches when the rail member is in elevated position, and means for moving said rods out of said notches and thereby permit lowering of said nail member.

13. A side rail for hospital beds, said side rail comprising opposed members adapted to be mounted on a hospital bed, said members having forwardly presented vertical faces provided with vertical slots, said forwardly presented faces each also heaving'a notch at its upper end communicating with the slot, a U-shaped rail member having substantially parallel legs adapted for disposition adjacent said members, said rail member having spaced aligned tubular arms formed on said legs upwardly from the lower ends thereof,` bolt-likeY elements projecting through the legs at their lower ends and also extending into said slots for slidable movement therein, one of `said'bolt-like elements being slidable in its associated leg, a pairof opposed acuating rods shiftably mounted in said arms and projecting through said legs, said rods lalso being slidably mounted in said slots, link means pivotally connected to the actuating rods and bolt-like elements and lying within said opposed members, spring means connecting the opposite` ends of said actuating rods for urging said rods into said notches when the rail member is in elevated position, and means for moving said rods out of said notches and thereby permit lowering of said rail member.

14. A side rail for hospital beds, said side rail comprising opposed members adapted to be mounted on a hospital bed, said mem-bers having forwardly presented vertical faces provided with vertical slots, said forwardly presented faces each also having a notch at its upper end lcommunicating with the slot, a U-shaped rail member having substantially parallel legs adapted for disposition adjacent said members, said rail member having spaced aligned tubular arms formed on said legs upwardly from the lower ends thereof, bolt-like elements projecting through the legs at their lower ends and also extending into said slots for slidable movement therein, one of said bolt-like elements being slidable in its associated leg, the other of said bolt-like elements being yrigidly connected to its associated leg, a pair of opposed actuating rods shiftably mounted in said arms and projecting through said legs, said rods also being slidably mounted in said slots, link means pivotally connected to the actuating rods and bolt-like elements and lying within said opposed members, spring means connecting the opposite ends of said actuating rods for urging said rods into said notches when the rail member is in elevated position, and means for moving said rods out of said notches and thereby permit lowering of said rail member.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,242,509 Zatzkin Oct. 9, 1917 1,275,762 Salford Aug. 13, 1918 1,844,410 Schalk Feb. 9, 1932 2,811,726 Dyett et al Nov. 5, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS i 14,469 Great Britain June 27, 1904 

